Start Your Own Droid Army With HASBRO

Star Wars The Phantom Menace fans will be delighted to learn that they, too, can follow in the footsteps of intergalactic businessman Newt Gunray by picking up their own Droid Army. Those clever folk over at  Hasbro Pulse has released a four-pack of Star Wars Prequel-style Battle Droids.

Frequently the punchline of many a Star Wars action scene, this set features four 3.75-inch scale toys, three troopers and one commander. This troop-building pack comes with removable backpacks, droid antennas, and blaster rifles for each figure; ideal for fodder for your Obi-One action figure. And we understand they’re all called Roger.

Also available for pre-order is Electro from the Spider-Man movie No Way Home. This 6-inch figure displays the tougher, edgier version of Max Dillon, aka Electro, from that movie. Marvel fans may also be delighted to learn a fully posable Marvel Legends Professor X is also available; this is Xavier whilst he was exploring the Savage Land, so he’s fully articulated and comes with the proto-type Cerebro helmet.


Check it all out on Hasbro Pulse today.

London Lovecraft Festival returns

With the horrors of a cold, damp, dark and stormy January fading, we march into February prepared to face fresh monstrous horrors, in the form of the returning London Lovecraft Festival. 

Taking over the Drayton Arms Theatre in South Kensington on the 16th and 17th of February, this is the fifth outing for what has become a favourite event amongst fans of all things Lovecraft and theatre. Starburst has attended previous iterations of the festival and had a fantastic, mind-scrambling time, immersing ourselves in the entertainment on offer. 

For 2025, the Festival launches at 2pm on the afternoon of Sunday, February 16th, with the interactive ‘Painting Pickman’s Model’. Director Leo Doulton, who was an Associate Director of immersive horror piece, The Key of Dreams, will lead attendees through a process of creating art, whilst discussing what makes a monster, and, we are promised, other topics that will be of interest to the audience. Described as ‘A Life Drawing Class with a difference’, we’d expect participants to be captivated by the tale Doulton will undoubtedly weave. 

Lovecraft is renowned for his many shorter stories. At 7pm on Sunday, the multi-story ‘Night Beneath the Elder Sign’ will draw a number of these together, with suitable breaks to allow the audience’s heartbeats to settle in between the other-worldly horrors. To start will be ‘Celephais’, interpreted by T L Wiswell, and placed into a background of Gilded Age America with steampunk aesthetics, combined with blitz-era London. This builds on TL’s previous work interpreting ‘The Dreamquest of Unknown Kadath’ through shadow puppets at a previous London Lovecraft Festival. As with many works which jumps off from Lovecraft’s original stories, it may sound bizarre, but that’s ultimately the point. ‘Celephais’ is paired with ‘From Beyond’, interpreted by Kai R Hastur, returning to the Festival for the third consecutive year. Audience’s familiar with Kai’s ‘Shroud of Charon’ or ‘The Music of Eric Zann’, will know what a treat they are in for. 

To conclude the Sunday evening, at 9pm, Laurence Ashcroft will read ‘At the Mountains of Madness’. This perennial favourite of Lovecraft fans will be lavishly presented by this ‘old-hand’ Festival performer. 

To conclude the Festival on Monday 17th February, Leo Doulton will return with a second interactive work, ‘The Estate Sale of Randolph Carter’. This sounds deliciously enticing, as attendees are invited to bid “on a variety of occult artefacts found after Randolph Carter’s unfortunate departure from this plane of existence”. Think, the opening of Phantom of the Opera, but with more tentacles. This is a longer event, and somewhat experimental for the Festival, as the event takes over the entire evening. Expect weird items, cosmic horror, and an awful lot of ‘what is that?’ from the assembled participants. 

The London Lovecraft Festival is a must for fans of Lovecraft, horror, and creeping dread. We highly recommend attending – if you dare!

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The Fifth London Lovecraft Festival will be held at the Drayton Arms Theatre in South Kensington London, from February 16th-17th, 2025. Ticket prices range from £12-25.

Programme:

Sunday 16 February

2 PM: Painting Pickman’s Model

7 PM: A Night Beneath the Elder Sign (Celephais and From Beyond)

9 PM: At the Mountains of Madness

Monday 17 February

7:30 PM: The Estate Sale of Randolph Carter 

Tickets can be purchased here: https://www.thedraytonarmstheatre.co.uk/

Up to date information is here: https://www.facebook.com/londonlovecraft/

Focus Features To Remake Takashi Miike’s AUDITION

audition by takashi miike

A new take on the beloved horror classic, Takashi Miike’s Audition, is currently in the works at Focus Features. Deadline reports that Focus, Hyde Park Entertainment and Mario Kassar Productions are nearing a deal to produce a new adaptation of the 1997 novel by Ryū Murakami, which served as the basis for Miike’s 1999 film.

Christian Tafdrup, who directed the original version of Speak No Evil, is co-writer the new Audition with Mads Tafdrup, his brother. Though it received 11 nominations at the 2023 Danish Film Awards, Speak No Evil garnered further attention when it was remade by Blumhouse last year, in a film that starred James McAvoy.

The original Japanese horror film follows Aoyama (Ryo Ishibashi), a widower who decides to start dating again. Aided by a film producer friend (Miyuki Matsuda), Aoyama uses auditions for a fake production as a means to screen for a new wife. Then, when Aoyama becomes intrigued by the withdrawn, beautiful, former ballet dancer Asami (Eihi Shiina), they begin a relationship. However, he soon comes to realise that Asami isn’t who she appears to be, leading to some increasingly disturbing scenarios.

Stay tuned for any updates on the upcoming remake as we hear them!

LOCKED Trailer Sees Bill Skarsgård Face Anthony Hopkins

anthony hopkins in sam raimi trailer for locked

Nosferatu and It star Bill Skarsgård stars opposite Anthony Hopkins in the new trailer for horror-thriller Locked, from producer Sam Raimi.

In the film, “When Eddie (Bill Skarsgård) breaks into a luxury SUV, he steps into a deadly trap set by William (Anthony Hopkins), a self-proclaimed vigilante delivering his own brand of twisted justice. With no means of escape, Eddie must fight to survive in a ride where escape is an illusion, survival is a nightmare, and justice shifts into high gear.”

The film hails from Brightburn director David Yarovesky from a script by Michael Arlen Ross. It’s a remake of the Argentinian action thriller, 4X4.

Speaking on the film, Yarovesky stated: “Working with Bill and Anthony was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. They are two of the greatest living actors, each having brought to life some of the most iconic villains of all time. Now, they’re going head-to-head in a battle of wits — a fight to the death! Together, they are electric! I’m deeply grateful to both of them, as well as to Sam Raimi, for being such incredible creative partners and for trusting me to steer the ship.”

Locked releases in cinemas from march 21st, 2025. Watch the trailer below:

Benny Safdie Joins Christopher Nolan’s THE ODYSSEY

benny safdie in christopher nolan film oppenheimer

Actor-director Benny Safdie is reuniting with Christopher Nolan for the filmmaker’s latest project, The Odyssey. The pair previously collaborated on Oppenheimer, in which Safdie portrayed physicist Edward Teller. He joins a stacked cast that includes Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Anne Hathaway, Charlize Theron and Jon Bernthal.

The feature project is an adaptation of the Greek Epic The Odyssey, by Homer. Universal has described the adaptation as a “mythic action epic shot across the world using brand new Imax film technology. The film brings Homer’s foundational saga to Imax film screens for the first time.” Given Nolan’s record for delivering visually staggering pictures, from the imagined, foreign worlds of Interstellar to the sandy scapes of New Mexico, the fact that The Odyssey will wow visually seems a given.

The Odyssey tells of the Greek hero Odysseus and his torturous decade-long journey home to Ithaca after the Trojan War. Along the way, he and his crew face sea creatures, sirens, witches, monsters, and must contend with the interference of gods.

Who will play which roles is being kept top secret. Filming is due to begin in late February.

Benny Safdie was recently seen in the series The Curse, which he co-wrote and co-created with Nathan Fielder. He also completed production co-starring in Adam Sandler’s Happy Gilmore 2, and will release his solo directorial debut, The Smashing Machine, later this year. He is also known for being half of the directing duo behind Good Time and Uncut Gems, with his brother Josh Safdie.

The Odyssey will release in cinemas July 17th, 2026.

LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL Producers To Adapt Horror Comic DUNGEON

comic illustration of dark spaces: dungeon horror anthology

The producers of the acclaimed indie horror Late Night with the Devil will be adapting Dark Spaces: Dungeon, Scott Snyder and Hayden Sherman’s horror comic. Spooky Pictures, the company run by Steven Schneider and Roy Lee, is teaming up with IDW Entertainment on the project.

Published as a five issue miniseries in 2023 and 2024, Dungeon sees its story begin when a family moves from NYC to upstate New York to escape the hustle and bustle of the city. However, their father’s dream of a quiet rural life is shattered when he discovers a dungeon underneath their land, filled with torture devices, weapons, and a threatening message on the wall that reads: ‘Tell No One’. The discovery sets up a paranoid serial kidnapping mystery where no one, not even the father’s child, is safe, and not even the FBI agent assigned to the case can help.

“There’s no shortage of serial killer stories in the marketplace; the challenge is finding one that is both terrifying and goes to places we haven’t seen before,” stated Schneider. “Dungeon is it… And even as longtime fans and producers in the genre, we found ourselves haunted by what we read. This is our Silence of the Lambs and Se7en.”

As well as Late Night with the Devil, Schneider has worked on the Insidious and Paranormal Activity films, as well as having executive produced M. Night Shyamalan’s The Visit, Split, Knock at the Cabin, and his most recent vehicle, Trap. Roy Lee, meanwhile, is known for his work on Barbarian, the newly-released Companion, and last year’s Strange Darling.

NEW JEDI ORDER Finds New Writer

daisy ridley to return as rey in star wars: new jedi order film

George Nolfi, known for his writing work on films like The Bourne Ultimatum and Ocean’s 12, has been tapped to write New Jedi Order, the upcoming Star Wars film re-centring Daisy Ridley’s Rey.

This follows several high-profile writers boarding, then leaving, the project that was first announced almost two years ago. Damon Lindelof (Watchmen, Lost) and Justin Britt-Gibson were the initial writers on the project. By the time Ridley was revealed to be the film’s intended star, Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight had replaced the duo behind the keyboard. A year later, Knight was no longer attached.

Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, known for her documentary filmmaking, will make her narrative feature debut with the project. The new story is said to take place 15 years after the events of 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker, with Ridley’s Rey now a mentor to a new crop of Jedis.

As well as the aforementioned Bourne Ultimanum and Ocean’s 12, George Nolfi is best known for writing The Banker and The Adjustment Bureau (which also served as his directorial debut). Most recently, he directed the postapocalyptic thriller Elevation, starring Antony Mackie.

Star Wars: New Jedi Order does not yet have a release date, but stay tuned for more information as we learn it.

CHILDREN OF BLOOD AND BONE Adaptation Announces Cast

children of blood and bone zelie cover image

Paramount Pictures has announced the cast for the upcoming feature adaptation of the popular YA novel Children of Blood and Bone, directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood.

The film will star Thuso Mbedu (The Woman King) as Zelie, Amandla Stenberg (Acolyte) as Amari, Damson Idris (Snowfall) as Inan, and Tosin Cole (Supacell) as Tzain. Also in the cast are A-listers Viola Davis, Cynthia Erivo, Idris Elba, Lashana Lynch and Chiwetel Ejiofor. Regina King, Diaana Babnicova and Bukky Bakray are also in negotiations to board the film.

Children of Blood and Bone, a novel by Tomi Adeyemi, centres on the African fantasy kingdom of Orïsha, where a young orphan named Zélie Adebola attempts to restore magic, in defiance of the ruling class kosidáns’ brutal oppression of her people, the magic-practicing Maji. The Nigerian-American author’s debut novel was released in 2018 with its sequel, Children of Virtue and Vengeance, releasing in 2019. In 2024, Adeyemi released the final instalment of the trilogy, Children of Anguish and Anarchy. 

“I am so honored and excited to bring Tomi’s Children of Blood and Bone and the vibrant world of Orisha to life,” Prince-Bythewood, best known for directing Viola Davis in The Woman King, said in a statement. “Our incredible ensemble reflects the whole of the diaspora. This is where our magic lies.”

NYX UK Reveal February Premieres

There are a host of great film premieres on free-to-air channel NYX UK in February. These include some superb movies that are not to be missed.

Among the ten channel premieres, there are Aharon Keshales and Navot Papushado’s unforgettable Big Bad Wolves (2013), a darkly comic and disturbing tale that will screen on February 21st.

There’s also a chance to catch two gore-filled movies from Herschell Gordon Lewis. Two Thousand Maniacs! (1964) on February 24th and The Wizard of Gore (1970) on February 19th. Mote cult classics include Charles Band’s Parasite (1982) on February 26th, Bob Clarke’s Children Shouldn’t Play with Dead Things (1972), and Jeff Leiberman’s Squirm (1976).

A duo of Euro classics debut on the channel, with Jess Franco’s Lorna the Exorcist (1974) on February 14th and Lucio Fulci’s The Psychic (1977) on February 20th.

A pair of Hammer sci-fi classics directed by Val Guest also feature as par of the FrightFest Saturday Night Scares strand introduced by Alan Jones. These are Quatermass 2 (1957) and The Abominable Snowman (1957). There’s also a chance to catch Dan Curtis’ The Norlis Tapes (1973) on February 27th.

Galvaston’s Cavern of Creeps continues on Thursday nights, with two channel premieres, The Wasp Woman (1959), directed by Roger Corman, and Fred F. Sears’ The Giant Claw (1957).

You can tune into NYX UK on Freeview 271, Channelbox App, TCL TVs, and Distro TV app. Find out more at http://www.nyxtv.co.uk/

Homicidal Pandemic Film CROSSED Finds Director

crossed comic book series

The Crossed film adaptation has marked its director. Filmmaker Rob Jabbaz will helm the feature based on the comic book by The Boys creator Garth Ennis. Ennis also pens the script about a pandemic-stricken world in which those who catch the disease are marked with a cross-shaped rash on their faces.

This isn’t Jabbaz’s first rodeo in the world of pandemic films. He is behind the Taiwanese horror The Sadness, in which a virus turned people violent in a unique spin on the zombie story.

Similarly, in Crossed, the infected follow their own worse impulses, retaining their intellect but turning into homicidal maniacs. Six Studios is behind the project, which will be inspired by the original 10-issue comic book run published from 2008-10, and which helped launch a franchise of more than 200 issues.

“It has been a real delight working with Garth Ennis and Six Studios developing Crossed for the big screen,” said Jabbaz. “From day one, our primary goal has been to deliver a faithful adaptation of the original series, along with a few new surprises. I certainly hope audiences are ready for this.”

“Happy New Year,” said Ennis of the project. “It’s 2025 and the world is catching up with the world of Crossed in all the wrong ways. So what better time to bring out the movie you’ve all been waiting for?”